We’ve finally got a potential co-star for Joo-won in the upcoming rom-com spy drama Secret Agent War, with the latest reports telling us that Choi Kang-hee (Protect the Boss) has been offered the role and is considering it favorably. As she’s currently filming a movie, according to her agency Keyeast, both sides are working out scheduling issues.

I mean this in the nicest way possible: Noooooooooo.

There are so many reasons this feels weird and off-putting to me, mostly because it’s an odd coupling. Individually, I can see both actors working. Choi can do feisty, and she had a pretty ballsy character in Protect the Boss, so she should fit in playing a secret agent who hides her work from her boyfriend. But together?

It’s not strictly the age difference, although that’s definitely a concern with Choi being a 1977-er and Joo-won a 1987-er. Or should I say the mere numbers aren’t the issue, because I’ve long since gotten used to drama heroines being noonas (that’s just a fact of life in an industry where your most eligible actor-bachelors have to take two years off in the army). Lee Min-ho and Kim Hee-sun have the same ten-year gap between them but I don’t really care about the age difference in Faith.

But Joo-won just seems like a baby, with his aegyo personality and little-boy ways, and Choi Kang-hee definitely has a more mature vibe. The whole fun of the source movie (Level 7 Civil Servant) was that they were on equal footing, both in love and in their spy confrontations. I want hot romance, not Adventures in Babysitting! (Must remind myself of Joo-won’s powerful on-screen transformations. Arg. But who can recall Gaksital’s fierceness when you’ve got images of Joo-won squealing over moths and bees running on an endless mental loop?)

Secret Agent War is being planned as a 20-episode drama and will air in January 2013.

I am anticipating the pairing as well. Idk, I usually never care about age and I don’t actually see choi kang hee with a mature woman image. I think she balances both sides well but she can do “young” particularly well due to her face which is…young-y..lol

I love Choi Kang hee after watching her in Protect the Boss but with baby Joo-won?
My mind cannot commute.
This has nothing to do with age difference. I think we’ve all been proven many times that age is nothing but a number in k-drama land.
But like JB pointed out.. mature + aegyo? I dont know..
She did well with Ji sung though. but that’s a completely different story.

Individually they would be awesome in these roles (with other people), but together I’m just not feeling the chemistry. I loved Kang Hee in Protect the Boss w/ Ji Sung, but her and Joo Won just seem like an odd pairing. I would much rather see him paired up with someone like Park Shin Hye, Lee Min Jung, Yoon Eun Hye, or Park Min Young.

I LOVE Choi Kang Hee. She is awesome, but I agree with the no’s. She’s definitely more mature than Joo Won is and she EXUDES it.

What are ya’ll doing casting people? What about Im Joo Eun? I miss her and she can be badass..they can both sing. It’s a match made in heaven if you wanna break out into song and possibly dance. Guys, you aren’t doing it right…I wanted Lee Si Young, but I think she’s doing two movies so Im was my second choice. Kang Sora? No?

I’ve never wanted someone to reject a role more than I do right now. Why Drama Gods? Why do you hate us?! D’:

I think the main reason that they want Choi Kang Hee because she has experience in doing rom-coms. Joo Won hasn’t done any rom-com drama yet so they are afraid to cast a leading lady who has no experience for that genre.

There’s no doubt, CKH suits the role. But being paired with the baby-faced JW, that’s a big “?”.

If they want someone who has experience in doing rom-com, why not cast LEE MIN JUNG? She did well in Big.

Good gawd, what kind of vision are you having, here? Moon Geun Young weighs what, about 80 pounds right after lunch? She’d be about as credible an action character as my grandmother . . . who passed away a decade ago but probably still doesn’t look as frail and helpless as MGY.

4.1.1.1.4 rantheOctober 19th, 2012 at 12:06 AM

Lee Min Jung… please… I know she can play badass and spunky (e.g. Jaekyung in BOF)…

4.1.2 BetsyOctober 18th, 2012 at 12:24 PM

When I first heard that Joo Won was doing this drama Park Shin Hye was my first pick to be his leading lady. I just love her to pieces and I think she could totally pull off the cute girlfriend by day and the butt-kicking spy by night character and my second pick that I wouldn’t mind seeing in this role could also be Park Min Young (she was totally awesome in City Hunter).

Oh no….this was not the coupling I could ever imagine O.o I don’t see her as a leading lady, maybe a supporting cast but definetely not in the lead role with Joo Won. I hope this won’t be the final choice *sigh*

I don’t want people jumping on me like the anti-YEH people in the other post, but can seriously not get behind this coupling. She’s better off playing Joo-won’s aunt than his girlfriend. This looks so creepy :'(

may be i’m the one that feel excited :
1. i think in this drama the lady should be older, she’s veteran spy and joo won rockie spy,n she doesnt look old
2. i see protect the bost and i think she is fine and match with the role
3. she has experience in comedy, she can give more lesson to joo won
4. i thought she doesn’t have drama in this year, it’s refreshing
unpredictable but excited

you’re not the only one. I think it could be a big mistake to cast a woman the same age as Joo-won. The younger actresses tend to lack a certain … something that ‘older’ women have, per their life-experience: It’s more seriousness and less aegyo. In my opinion, the initial ‘Level 7 Civil Servant’ movie worked because they were both way-past the cutesy-phase not because they were the same age … so you could very well argue that Joo-won is simply too young for this role.

Uhh…sori, Kim Sun Ah has an even more ‘matured’ look if paired with the baby-face Joo Won ! She will certainly risks being mistaken for his auntie. Some one suggests Yoo In-Na ( queen inhyun’s man) ? She’s also a noona but she has that pert cutie look and yet can be so infectiously hilarious.

9.1.4 lovedramasOctober 18th, 2012 at 10:34 PM

I agree with this. I think Joo-won is simply too young for the role. However, they can rewrite the script to fit his young looks and aegyo personality.

As many people have mentioned, the original movie worked so well not because of age but the equal footing. She was bad ass for work, and behind the scenes with the love connection, she was just as great. Same with the guy. So you could feel that contrast.

Since nothing is confirmed, who knows if she’ll actually accept. I will hold my thoughts until there is confirmation.

THIS. People should read the story first then comment after. And CKH doesn’t look like a college girl. What? They will do the same thing Big did? Cast a younger woman on their college and Choi kang hee will play the “adult role after?”

Joo-won looks younger than his age, and Choi Kang-hee (I’m sorry to say), looks *so* much older than hers. I don’t think I could watch the two of them together without thinking, “But… you look old enough to be his *mother*.” (JMO)

JB, I agree… This is not a pairing that should not happen at least in terms of this drama. I have watched the movie so many times that this Nuna – Dongsaeng relationship could turn me off from watching the drama. I love the actors seperately, but together for this is a BIG NOOOO!

I also mean this in the nicest way possible: Casting people, OPEN YOUR EYES!

Is there no one else in the industry you could find?? Someone who’s preferably younger than Joo Won and has the acting chops to pull off a sexy, funny, badass spy? ‘Cause I can give you a list if you need one.

haha! I thought I was the only one against it. I did not get to see Protect the Boss, except for ep1 and it was enough for me to say NO.
But maybe she can prove us wrong.
Can’t wait for Joowon’s next drama!

Is there any one who disagree??Plz raise your hands…Absolutely No…for this…Noooooooo*Head bangs*Nooooo way…Please find new one..But No for this Actress with Joo Won..I cant even imagine.its the worst nightmare

Well..I see there’s are lots of with..*Noooooooo*Thank god i wasnt only one against the couple..There’s many of then who are good in rom-com…But I just shake off this feelings/vibe when i try to picture them doing this drama…If i even watch for joo won…with CKH…I would be suffocating for sure..But I wish they would line up another actress for this drama..

I don’t like following the crowd but for this I must agree: It will be VERY strange. Noona-dongsaeng stories can be fun but it means than the girl has to “look” younger like in Baby Face Beauty.
Why not Im Joo Eun (What’s Up?) or Lee Yoon Ji (TK2H)?

Well i dont watch 1N2D so i only know the onscreen JW and i know u agree he can totally transform when in character so i dont get why this pairing wouldnt appeal to the writer, i mean dude u said it urself, gaksital! I have so much faith in him i think he could pull off a love line with madame evil, soul eating fairy of arangville if needed to he he!

This is interesting because now I can see CKH rocking the character. She’d totally pull it off. But wow, with Joo won. Blinks. In such a situation, I feel like he’s too …. young …. and adorable …. and ….. young.

If the production wants a veteran to play the role, why not hire someone like Jeon Ji Hyun or Ha Ji Won? Choi Kang Hee is a good actress, but I don’t think she suits younger guys when she herself looks older for her age…

Gosh. She does not look noona material. She looks like an aajumma. Especially with Joo won, she looks like she could be his mom or his aunt. Imagine a kiss scene between the two! I think I might puke a little if I see it.

Yes! Thank you. Now I remember the original story. That would have worked really well. I Liked Kim Tae Hee in “My Princess” and the first 6 episodes I watched of Iris. I think you are right those two would have been a good pair. Though, isn’t Kim Tae Hee about to star in a new project?. I really hope the CKH’s schedule does not match this drama and they look for someone better suited to Joo Woo.